Where did players with New Mexico ties land after this week's NFL roster cuts?

Four players who played college football in New Mexico made the cut this week as NFL teams had to reduce roster sizes to the 53-man limit for the first time in the 2024 season.

Two others have signed to practice squads while others, including two who starred at local high schools and were with NFL teams last year, are waiting to see if they'll be joining a roster soon.

Former UNM Lobos Jason Sanders (a kicker with the Miami Dolphins) and Corey Bojorquez (a punter with the Cleveland Browns), as expected, made NFL rosters while former New Mexico State Aggie defensive tackle Roy Lopez rejoins the Arizona Cardinals.

Former UNM Lobo safety Jerrick Reed is on the Seattle Seahawks active roster, though placed on their PUP (Physically Unable to Perform) list meaning he is unable to play for a minimum of four weeks and when cleared to play can only do so if the team cuts someone from their 53-man roster. He is recovering from an ACL tear from this past season.

Among the New Mexico ties released from NFL teams on Tuesday’s roster cut down day were tight end Zach Gentry (Eldorado High School/Michigan) by the Las Vegas Raiders and defensive end Keshawn Banks (Rio Rancho High/San Diego State) by the Green Bay Packers.

On Wednesday, two former Lobos were signed to practice squads, though not the 53-man roster one must be on to appear in a game, according to a practice squad tracker on NFL.com: D'Angelo Ross, a defensive back with the Houston Texans who was also on the Texans' roster last season, and Bayron Matos, who played for the Lobos' men's basketball team in the 2020-21 season before transferring to South Florida, was signed as an offensive tackle by the Miami Dolphins.

Matos, now 6-feet-7-inches, 313-pounds, is from the Dominican Republic. He spent this past year training with the NFL's International Player Pathway. As part of that program, he does not count against the NFL's 16-player limit for a practice squad.